Montana’s Library Heroes Step Into the Spotlight

Every year, the people who keep Montana’s libraries thriving (the ones who show up early, stay late, and go far beyond shelving books) get a moment of well-deserved recognition. The Montana Library Association (MLA) used its annual statewide conference at the Heritage Inn in Great Falls to do exactly that, shining a light on the professionals and programs making a real difference in communities across Big Sky Country.

A Little Gratitude Goes a Long Way

Sean Anderson, president of the MLA, put it plainly: recognizing colleagues for their tireless commitment matters, even if it only scratches the surface of the effort library workers put in day after day. It’s a sentiment that resonates with anyone who’s ever walked into a library and felt immediately at home. That feeling doesn’t happen by accident.

The Librarian Who Makes a Small Town Feel Big

Tiffany Christensen of the Conrad Public Library took home the Sheila Cates Librarian of the Year Award, which celebrates exceptional leadership and achievement in library service across any field of librarianship in Montana. Lida Holst, vice chair of the Conrad Public Library Board of Trustees, put it beautifully: to the outside world, a rural library might seem like a footnote, but to the people of Pondera County, it’s a cornerstone of community life, and that’s largely because of Tiffany.

A Friend Libraries Can Count On

Chris La Tray was honored with the Lisa Mecklenberg Jackson Special Friend to Libraries Award, given to individuals or groups outside the MLA who have made an outstanding contribution to library interests in their Montana communities. Libraries don’t thrive in isolation. They need people outside the building who believe in what’s happening inside it.

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Celebrating Culture and Connection

IndigiPalooza earned the Alma Smith Jacobs Award for building real connections between communities, addressing specific local needs, and making a genuine impact through standout programming. It’s the kind of work that reminds you what libraries are actually for.

Keeping Books Moving Across Montana

The Montana State Library Courier Alliance was named Library Program of the Year, an award that highlights innovation and excellence in non-school Montana libraries, systems, or networks. It’s not glamorous work, but getting library materials from one corner of this enormous state to another is no small thing, and patrons across Montana are better off for it.

The Unsung Hero Behind the Desk

Vivian Yang of the Bitterroot Public Library received the Outstanding Support Staff Award, recognizing her exceptional service, job performance, and dedication to making sure everyone has free and open access to information. Support staff are often the first person you interact with when you walk through the door, and that interaction sets the tone for everything. Vivian clearly gets that.

Investing in the Next Generation of Librarians

Three librarians also received financial support through the 2025 Sheila Cates Scholarship to pursue graduate degrees in library and information science: Rebecca Meredith of the Belgrade Community Library, Madison Palmer of the Flathead County Library, and Mary Russell of the Billings Public Library.

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It’s hard not to feel good about that: three people getting a real push toward a career they’ve clearly already committed to. The scholarship honors Sheila Cates, who served as Library Development Coordinator at the Montana State Library from 1985 until her passing in 1993, the same year she was posthumously named MLA’s Librarian of the Year. Keeping her name attached to an award that opens doors for the next generation feels like exactly the right way to remember someone.

Coming Together Across the Divide

This year’s conference carried the theme “Across the Divide,” which feels about right for an event that pulls library professionals in from every corner of a genuinely enormous state. Beyond the awards, attendees earned continuing education credits, swapped ideas, and caught up with colleagues they might only see once a year. That part doesn’t make the headlines, but anyone who works in libraries will tell you it’s half the reason they show up.